Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
If you love insane competitions and endless drama, chances are you’ll love Panic on Prime Video. Amazon’s latest teen drama centers around a small Texan town that has nothing better to do than create elaborate games for its teenagers. The winner gets a cash prize. The loser could die.
Invested in this warped teen thriller but can’t wait for the finale? We get it. Here’s how Panic Season 1 ends.
How Does Panic the Game End?
With a game of chicken. Ray (Ray Nicholson) and Dodge (Mike Faist) were supposed to be the two finalists putting their lives on the line in a game of Joust. But Heather (Olivia Welch), Ray, and Dodge had other plans.
After learning who really lured his little sister into a literal tiger den, Heather took the wheel of one of the cars. Meanwhile Sheriff Cortez (Enrique Murciano) took the other truck. Why Sheriff Cortez? Well…
Who Was Behind Panic‘s Gambling Scheme?
It was the sheriff! That’s why these teenagers managed to evade the police for years. They weren’t smart or crafty. Sheriff Cortez was just making money by betting on the outcome of their dumb game. During Panic’s final event Sheriff Cortez took the second truck, confident that he could win the game of car chicken himself and guarantee a huge payoff. But he didn’t count on Ray and Dodge.
After learning that Sheriff Cortez was the one responsible for injuring Dodge’s sister and targeting Ray’s family, they planted a bomb on the truck they knew the officer of the law would be driving. Heather and the sheriff were about to collide when the unthinkable happened.
Remember the tiger Heather had been watching for her boss? The escaped one? Yeah, that tiger has oddly great narrative timing. The animal jumped in the middle of the road at the last second, causing both Heather and Sheriff Cortez to swerve. To add injury to insult, after that swerve the sheriff’s car exploded.
But it wasn’t the crash or the explosion that killed this foe. Sheriff Cortez escaped from the burning truck only to find himself face to face with the tiger. And while he was distracted with a jungle predator, his wife shot him. So basically after four possible deaths in the span of 10 minutes Sheriff Cortez did, in fact, die.
What Happened to Bishop?
Heather really should have paid attention to the many warnings from her best friend. Throughout the season Bishop (Camron Jones) warned Heather that he was only going to be in town for a few weeks before he left for college. At the end of Panic Season 1 his time ran out. Right after the pair declared their love for each other, Bishop left to go to college.
What Happened to Natalie and Dodge?
Speaking of couples, Heather and Bishop weren’t the only ones with a less-than-happy ending. For once Dodge and Natalie (Jessica Sula) have a completely honest conversation. Natalie spilled about her time as a secret Panic judge and Dodge talked about his unquenchable revenge lust. But despite their connection the pair decided to go their separate ways.
Because of Sheriff Cortez’s death, Dodge has no reason to avenge his sister. He ends the season by climbing onto his motorcycle and talking about seeing the world. As for Natalie she’s going to California to pursue her dreams.
What Happened to Heather? Is Panic Still Happening?
Sadly, the one person who wanted to leave this small town the most ends the season trapped. After Bishop left, Heather leaned into her questionable decisions and made out with Ray again. Are they a thing now? Is she going to try and keep up some sort of relationship with Bishop? Who knows.
What we do know is that Panic the game is still very much alive. In the final minutes of Episode 10, a mysterious stranger stalked Heather in her truck and threw a dummy on her windshield. That dummy had the signature markings of another Panic game. It looks like the competition is still on, and Heather is still a contestant. But who’s organizing these twisted challenges?
